Any program, day or night, that provides child care services for 3 or more children under 6 years of age for five or more hours per week and that operates for more than 30 days during any 12 month period must have a license. To obtain a license, please visit the Bureau of Day Care, New York Department of Health. If you are:
In the Bronx and Manhattan boroughs, please call 212.676.2444.
In Brooklyn and Staten Island, please call 718.302.0152.
In Queens, please call 718.520.8632.
You can also call 311 for general information.
Consider These Helpful Steps ²Learn the regulations for an early childhood center. Attend the preliminary session held by the Bureau of Day Care on the licensing requirements.(Ask the Bureau of Day Care’s relevant borough offices for the dates of those sessions).Child Care, Inc. also offers sessions on “Starting a Child Care Center”.Call us or consult our website for more information. ²Contact Child Care, Inc. for additional technical assistance regarding facilities, budgeting, salary scales, recruiting staff, assessing community needs, accreditation and training opportunities. ²Consider whether family child care or group family child care, both of which involve caring for children in one’s home, is an appropriate alternative for you.
Licensing Information ²An early childhood center must meet standards regarding the facility, staff and curriculum. ²The program will be visited by the appropriate authorities prior to being granted a license, including a Health Department Consultant and Fire and Buildings Department Inspectors. ²The license must be renewed every two years and be prominently displayed. ²There must be a NYS certified teacher for each group of children ages 2 to 5. ²Teachers in infant-toddler classrooms (children under two years) must have an A.A. or A.S. in early childhood education or a CDA (Child Development Associate) and a study plan leading to an Associate’s in early childhood education or a High School Diploma, 9 college credits and a study plan leading to an Associate’s degree within seven years. ²Staff-to-child ratios and maximum group size cannot be exceeded and vary based on the age of the children(see chart below). ²The director must have full teacher certification and at least two years of teaching experience.
Child Care Facilities
The following are guidelines to be used before you have a potential site inspected. Note that only the inspectors from the NYC Health-Buildings and Fire Departments can actually confirm if you meet all the requirements. ²At least 30 square feet per child is required in each classroom. (See chart below for details.) ²Additional space must be added for a toilet and sink for every 15 children (with separate facilities for adults), and other space for hallways, offices, storage etc. and, if possible, a kitchen. ²Buildings must be free of asbestos, lead, and pollutants, and require access for persons with disabilities. ²Other facilities requirements apply depending on the size of the program. ²Access to outdoor play space is required. ²No program can be operated above the third floor.
Minimum Space Needed for Classrooms by Ages of Children
* This is the minimum space required. More space is needed for a quality program.
Training
Center for Children's Initiatives and other NYC agencies offer training, workshops and funding. A list of these organizations, and their specialties, are available on our website.CCI is available to assist individuals and organizations interested in opening a child care center, and offers training to staff, and consultation on all aspects of quality improvement.CCI can also assist programs in quality improvement and the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) Accreditation process.
